Best Practices for Operations during COVID-19

March 27, 2020 Casey Nighbor

In light of recent events, maintaining a healthy and safe workplace is more important than ever. Regardless of exposure risks, following good practices can help workers stay healthy and safe. Learn some best practices on cleaning, social distancing, worker protection and more for your facility.

Cleaning & Sanitation Practices:

  • Add additional cleaning staff and consider designating team members to consistently wipe down and sanitize all common places and common items that are touched frequently during their shift
  • Have cleaning stations throughout for workers to wipe down personal equipment on a regular basis
  • Clean commonly used equipment that you may not always think of: time clocks, scanners, light switches, door knobs, fan controls, dock controls, printers, computers, desk equipment, etc.
  • Allow additional time in between shifts for sanitation of equipment and common surfaces
  • Use hand sanitizers often. Place in high traffic areas such as entryways and stairways and by elevators
  • Keep non-security doors open to minimize contact with door handles

Social Distancing Protocols:

  • Consider breaking shift team members into multiple shift teams with staggered schedules
  • Stagger break times to ensure proper social distancing can be followed in break areas
  • Remove extra chairs at tables in break rooms and space tables 6 feet apart from one another to ensure social distancing guidelines are met
  • Reduce meetings and trainings to under 10 people and ensure 6 feet of separation
  • Add markers on floors or work lines to ensure people follow proper social distance of 6 feet

Worker Protection:

  • Create a travel authorization letter for employees that work for essential businesses stating they can travel to and from work during shelter in place periods
  • If an associate shows up with an elevated temperature, send them home immediately with no penalty or points
  • Encourage workers to stay at home if they are showing symptoms of any kind
  • Practice proper infection control and sterilization measures
  • Frequently wash hands with soap and water; if soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Stay home when you are sick, and see a doctor immediately to be evaluated for COVID-19
  • Employees who have traveled to areas with heightened levels of exposure should inform their employers immediately
  • Adopt a temporary “no handshake” policy and nod or wave instead

Staffing Procedures:

  • Conduct daily meetings with your staffing providers and have frequent check-ins throughout the day to monitor any issues
  • Ask your staffing provider if they can assist with skilled or semi-skilled roles to have emergency workers in place should a team member fall ill
  • Consider asking the Staff Management | SMX team to manage other staffing suppliers on site to ensure consistency and continuity of workforce management practices

About the Author

About Casey: Content marketing manager, frequently reading, aspiring chef, failed plant mom, connoisseur of tater tots, beauty products and airplane food.

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